Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Pet ... Pet ... Pet ...


The other day I was listening to a podcast that was a compilation of a number of clips from previous radio shows that this one woman hosted. It was more or less a radio version of a book of essays that a columnist might put together into a book.

Anyway, she played one clip from a radio show that she did soon after 9-11. There was so much sorrow and bad news at the time that she wanted to do something different, something that might soothe her listener's souls.

So she asked some musician friends what kind of music they think would be good for the soul. Beethoven's Ode to Joy was suggested, and played.

As I listened, I started to weep. It had been so very long since I allowed myself the gift of extremely fine music that I'd forgotten the effect it can have on my soul.

When I told my sweet husband about my experience later in the day, even his eyes welled up.

Most times when I need to nurture and soothe myself, I turn to my stitching. It can be actual stitching, or it can be browsing through my pattern library, or it can be petting my fabrics. Every time I to go Wal-Mart, I have to at least walk through the craft section, even if I don't window shop or buy. There's something about being in proximity to the elements of creativity that oozes through my skin and helps me feel better.

Other times, I write. Except for this blog, I haven't been writing much lately. Maybe it's time to give myself that treat again.

The other day I went to the public library and sought out a couple books by P. G. Wodehouse. My mom introduced me to that humor a l-o-n-g time ago. I thought it might be a healthy choice for me to have some light reading. What was also healthy for me was to walk up and down the aisles of books in a library again.

I like to think of this kind of self-nurture as Guiltless Pleasures. Perhaps it's time to pick up my camera again and record a series of photos of guiltless pleasures.

I plan to have at least five today:
  1. Spending time with the Quilters this morning
  2. Voting
  3. Listening to an audio book as I drive south to Moscow
  4. Spending time with my daughter and taking her out to dinner
  5. Attending a book reading by an author who shared literature classes with me in college
If you do something to nurture yourself today, leave a comment and let me know.

I'll try some of yours if you try some of mine!
;-)

1 comment:

Carolyn NC said...

Your ideas sound great. I was raised on classical music, but gravitated to modern when I was older. I'm glad you reminded me to go back and listen to some of my favorites again. Always very moving. How sweet that your DH understood where you were coming from.